The Lakshmanathirtha river in Hunsur town of Mysuru district is in spate as rain pounded the catchment area in Kodagu district.
Lakshmanathirtha originates at Irupu in Virajpet taluk and joins Cauvery at Ramenahalli in Hunsur taluk.
The muddy waters point to soil erosion in the catchment areas. Environmentalists opine that the rain havoc in Kodagu district, similar to that in neighbouring Kerala, is a result of rampant deforestation over the past couple of decades, especially over the past one decade.
River #Lakshmanathirtha in #Hunsur town of #Mysuru district in spate as rains pound its catchment area in #Kodagu district. (#DH_Video/T R Satish Kumar) | #KarnatakaRains pic.twitter.com/RVfPzPekm8
— Deccan Herald (@DeccanHerald) August 18, 2018
Water from the Cauvery river has submerged the Kolli bridge connecting Bylakuppe and Koppa villages in Periyapatna taluk of Mysuru district.
Besides farmlands, ginger washing units and a restaurant, which is close to a kilometre from the river bank, is submerged. Locals said they have never ever seen the Cauvery waters reach these places.
#KarnatakaFloods | The overflowing #CauveryRiver has submerged houses and commercial establishments nearly 1 Km from the river bank in Periyapatna taluk of #Mysuru district. pic.twitter.com/Wpx1Br9tqH
— Deccan Herald (@DeccanHerald) August 18, 2018
Relief materials reach Kodagu, Kerala
The flood relief materials collected by the district administration reached Kodagu district on Saturday morning. A helicopter with 80 kg of packed food reached Harangi at 7.30 am.
The truck which carried the material left Mysuru late on Friday night.
Nearly 25,000 litres of water, 3000 litres of kerosene, packed food items, including bread, have been sent to the flood-hit district. The district administration has sent a rescue team of 60 people, including doctors and tahsildars.
Mysuru-based Defence Food Research Laboratory has dispatched 3 tonnes of food items for the flood-affected people in Wayanad district in Kerala on Friday.
Another 3 tonnes of food will be despatched on Saturday. The consignment was airlifted from the Mysuru Airport at Mandakalli on Friday evening. The consignment consists of ready-to-eat tomato bath, 'upma' and instant 'upma'. Instant 'upma' is in packs of 10 kg and is meant for use in camps.
A similar consignment is being prepared at DFRL since Friday night to be sent on Saturday.
The Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, is preparing ready-to-eat food for stranded people in Kodagu.
According to the authorities, they are preparing 5000 meals and it will be sent either in the evening or on Sunday morning.
Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda appealed to the people to help those in dire need of help in the flood-affected areas. The minister requested people to drop relief materials at the Town Hall in Mysuru.
